Pawan Kumar
Assistant Professor
Senior Postdoc Researcher (Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel); Recipient (DBT-SRF, DST-NPDF & ARO Postdoctoral fellowship Israel, European Commission of Science and Technology, Germany)
Pawan Kumar is an Assistant Professor at the School of Biotechnology. He comes with 9 years of research and teaching experience. Previously, Kumar he was a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel and Volcani Institute, Agricultural research organization (ARO), Rishon Lezion, Israel. Asst Prof Kumar is a recipient of many competitive International and National scholarships and grants including the DBT-SRF, DST-NPDF Govt. of India and ARO Postdoctoral fellowship Israel, European Commission of Science and Technology (COST) Germany.
Asst Prof Kumar has been awarded with international travel grants to participate as an invited speaker in several international conferences, including the Solanaceae Conference in Greece (2022) and the EPI-CATCH Conference in Bulgaria (2023). He also spent three months at Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany, where he pursued a research project under the COST-Germany fellowship.
Asst Prof Kumar’s postdoctoral research work on tomato heat stress tolerance in Volcani Institute, Israel was also telecast in many Indian news channels like Aaj Tak and NewsX.
Asst Prof Kumar has 9 years of research experience in the plant molecular biology, plant breeding, pollen biology, epigenetics, genetics, genome editing (CRISPR), phenotypic, plant tissue culture, plant physiology, fruit genomics and plant anatomy. He has published 34 research articles in highly reputative international and national journals. (Cumulative IF~50.02)
During his postdoctoral research period, he has worked on different projects on potato, tomato and mango crops (from the growth and development to heat stress perspective).
Asst Prof Kumar’s research is based on understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in potato skin (periderm) formation and associated epigenetic changes. His research also explores the role of DNA methylation in heat-stress tolerance in tomato, along with the phenotyping and genotyping of Solanum pimpinellifolium to study heat tolerance. In addition, he investigates the molecular mechanisms behind mango fruit drop.
Publications
- Gad Miller, Max Frencken, Helena Sapeta, Fabienne Gidding, Danny Geelen, Pawan Kumar, Ivo Rieu, Michal Lieberman-Lazarovich (2025) Methodologies and considerations in evaluating heat stress response and thermotolerance of pollen grains. Physiologia Plantarum (IF- 5.1) (Accepted)
- Priyanka Chopra, Natalia Sapia, Omid Karami, Pawan Kumar, David Honys, Lucia Colombo, Marta A. Mendes, Moussa Benhamed, Vasileios Fotopoulos, Michal Lieberman-Lazarovich, Bernd Mueller-Roeber, Eirini Kaiserli, Said Hafidh, Sotirios Fragkostefanakis (2025). Priming thermotolerance: unlocking heat resilience for climate-smart crops. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B – Journals Biological Sciences 380:20240234. (IF – 5.4) https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2024.0234
- Maya Weinstein, Shahar Baram, Uri Yermiyahu, Michal Lieberman Lazarovich, Ludmila Tzehansky, Assaf Elmakias, Pawan Kumar, Ellen Graber (2024). Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium nutrition effects on flowering and reproduction in Theobroma cacao L. var. CCN- 51. Scientia Horticultura, Vol 337 (IF- 3.9)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2024.113591
- Aggarwal, Diwakar, Vasudha Datta, Hardeep Singh Tuli, Pawan Kumar, and Seema Ramniwas (2024) Agrobacterium tumefaciens-Mediated Genetic Transformation of Eclipta alba." International Journal of Plant Biology 15, no. 3, 641-651.
- Pooja Sharma, Payal Gupta, Anita Rani Gill, Sunil Kumar, Pawan Kumar, Paavan Singhal, Mahiti Gupta, Raj Singh,Varruchi Sharma, Sasanka Chakrabarti (2024) Current Paradigms in Understanding Neuron Fluctuations, Factors, Regulation, Pathophysiology of Epilepsy: Advancements in Diagnosis, Treatment and Management—An Update. Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry (IF-1.5) https://doi.org/10.1007/s12291-024-01281-1
- Pawan Kumar, Yulia Kaplan, Jeffrey B. Endelman, Idit Ginzberg (2023) “Epigenetic modifications related to potato skin russeting”. Plants 12(10), 2057; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12102057 (IF – 4.68)
- Pawan Kumar and Idit Ginzberg (2022) Potato Periderm Development and Tuber Skin Quality. Plants, 11(16), 2099; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11162099 (IF – 4.68)
- Pawan Kumar, Jibesh Kumar Padhan, Ashwani Kumar, Rajinder S. Chauhan (2018) “Transcriptomes of Podophyllum hexandrum unravel candidate miRNAs and their association with the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites”. Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology 27:1, 46–54 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13562-017- 0414-x (IF- 1.52)
- Varruchi Sharma; Nirmala Sehrawat, Ajay Sharma, Mukesh Yadav, Pawan Kumar, Anil K. Sharma (2021) Multifaceted anti-viral therapeutic potential of dietary flavonoids: emerging trends and future perspectives. Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry. 69(5):2028- 2045 https://doi.org/10.1002/bab.2265 (IF-2.72)
- Kirti Chawla, Ramgopal Mopuri, Anil K. Sharma, Pawan Kumar* (2021) Arnebia ecuhroma. In: Himalayan Medicinal Plants: Advances in Botany, Production and Research (Eds.:Nikhil Malhotra, Mohar Singh). Elsevier Inc. (ISBN: 978-0-12-823151-7) pp. 27-41.*Corresponding author
- Pawan Kumar, Varun Jaiswal, Tarun Pal, Jagdish Singh, Rajinder S. Chauhan (2017) “Comparative whole-transcriptome analysis in Podophyllum species identifies key transcription factors contributing to biosynthesis of podophyllotoxin in P. hexandrum”. Protoplasma 254:1, 217–228 (In Print) https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-015-0938-7 (IF- 3.35)
- Pawan Kumar, Ritika Sharma, Varun Jaiswal, Rajinder S. Chauhan (2016) “Identification, validation and expression of ABC transporters in Podophyllum hexandrum Royle and their role in podophyllotoxin biosynthesis”. Biologia Plantarum 60:3, 452-458 (In Print) https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-016-0611-9 (IF-1.9)
- Pawan Kumar, Tarun Pal, Neha Sharma, Varun Kumar, Hemant Sood, Rajinder S. Chauhan (2015) “Expression analysis of biosynthetic pathway genes vis-a`-vis podophyllotoxin content in Podophyllum hexandrum Royle”. Protoplasma 252:5, 1253- 1262 (In Print) https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-015-0757-x (IF- 3.35)
- Pawan Kumar, Mahak Saini, Shashi Bhushan, Ashish R Warghat,Tarun Pal, Nikhil Malhotra, Archit Malhotra (2014) “Effect of salicylic acid on the activity of PAL and PHB geranyltransferase and shikonin derivatives production in cell suspension cultures of Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst- a medicinally important plant species”. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology 173:1, 248-258 (In Print) https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-014-0838-x (IF- 3.09)
- Pawan Kumar*, Varun Kumar, Vijay Kumar Garlapati (2017) “Biosynthesis and pharmacological evaluation of shikonin-A highly valuable metabolite of North- Western Himalayas: Mini Review”. Medicinal Plants - International Journal of Phytomedicines and Related Industries 8: 267-274 (Scopus Indexed) http://dx.doi.org/10.5958/09756892.2016.00033.2 *Corresponding author
- Tarun Pal, Jibesh Kumar Padhan, Pawan Kumar, Hemant Sood, Rajinder S. Chauhan (2018) Comparative Transcriptomics Uncovers Differences in Photoautotrophic versus Photoheterotrophic Modes of Nutrition in relation to Secondary Metabolites Biosynthesis in Swertia chirayita. Molecular Biology Reports 45:2, 77-98 (IF-2.74)
- Jibesh Kumar Padhan, Pawan Kumar, Hemant Sood, Rajinder S. Chauhan (2016) “Prospecting NGS-Transcriptomes to assess regulation of miRNA-inspected secondary metabolites biosynthesis in Swertia chirayita, a medicinal herb of North-Western Himalayas”. Medicinal Plants - International Journal of Phytomedicines and Related Industries 8:3, 219-228 https://doi.org/10.5958/0975-6892.2016.00029.0(Scopus Indexed)
- Amit Kumar, Archana Gautam, Dharm Dutt, Mukesh Yadav, Nirmala Sehrawat and Pawan Kumar (2017) “Applications of Microbial Technology in the Pulp and Paper Industry” In: Microbiology and Biotechnology for a Sustainable Environmental. (Eds.: Kumar, V., Singh, G. and Aggarwal, N.K.). Nova Science Publishers, Inc., New York (USA) pp. 185-206 (ISBN: 978- 1-53612-076-9)
- Pawan Kumar*, Pooja Sharma, Vikas Kumar, Amit Kumar, Amit Kumar, Raj Singh and Anil K. Sharma (2018) Plant Resources: In-vitro Production, Challenges and Prospects of Secondary Metabolites from Medicinal Plants. In: Industrial Biotechnology, (Plant Systems, Resources and Products) (Eds.:Yadav, M., Kumar, P. and Sehrawat, N.). De Gruyter Publishers, Inc., Germany (ISBN: 978-3-11-256333-7) pp. 89– 104 *Corresponding author
- Navneet Kaur, Vikas Kumar, Parveen Rishi, Nirmala Sehrawat, Rahul Dilawari, Pawan Kumar, Neeraj Kumar Aggarwal (2019) Phytomedicine: History, scope and future prospects. In: Industrial Biotechnology, (Plant Systems, Resources and Products) (Eds.:Yadav, M., Kumar, P. and Sehrawat, N.) Gruyter Publishers, Inc., Germany (ISBN: 978-3-11-256333- 7) pp. 105-120. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110563337-006
- Amit Kumar, Diwakar Aggarwal, Mukesh Yadav, Pawan Kumar, Vikas Kumar (2018) Biotechnological conversion of plant biomass into value-added products.In: Industrial Biotechnology, (Plant Systems, Resources and Products) (Eds.:Yadav, M., Kumar, P. and Sehrawat, N.). De Gruyter Publishers, Inc., Germany (ISBN: 978-3-11-256333-7) pp. 51– 72
- Amit Vashishth, Nimisha Tehri, Pawan Kumar (2019) The potential of naturally occurring bacteria for the bioremediation of toxic metals pollution. Brazilian Journal of Biological Sciences, 6(12), pp.39-51. 10.21472/bjbs.061205
- Hardeep Singhn Tuli, Shivani Sood, Jagjit Kaur, Pawan Kumar, Prachi Seth, Sandeep Punia, Priya Yadav, Anil Kumar Sharma, Diwakar Aggarwal, and Katrin Sak (2021) Mechanistic insight into anti-COVID-19 drugs: recent trends and advancements. 3 Biotech, 11, no. 2, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-021-02644-8 (IF-2.89)
- Shivani Sood, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatia, Prachi Seth, Pawan Kumar, Jagjit Kaur, Vidisha Gupta, Sandeep Punia, and Hardeep Singh Tuli (2021) Efficacy and Safety of New and Emerging Drugs for COVID-19: Favipiravir and Dexamethasone. Current Pharmacology Reports 7, 49–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40495-021-00253-w (Scopus Indexed)
- Hardeep Singh Tuli, Karrin Sak, Ashif Iqubal, Renuka Choudhary, Shubam Adikary, Ginnipreet Kaur, Pawan Kumar, Vivek Kumar Garg (2022) Recent advances in immunotherapy for the treatment of malignant melanoma. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 28(29):2363-2374 (IF – 3.2) 10.2174/1381612828666220727124639
- Hardeep Singh Tuli, Shivani Sood, Abhishek Pundir, Deepika Choudhary, Kuldeep Dhama, Gurpreet Kaur, Prachi Seth, Amit Vashishth, Pawan Kumar (2022). Molecular docking studies of Apigenin, Kaempferol, and Quercetin as potential target against spike receptor protein of SARS CoV. Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences; 10(1):144-149. https://doi.org/10.18006/2022.10(1).144.149 (Scopus Indexed)
- Gurpreet Kaur Bhatia Hardeep Singh Tuli, Vivek Kumar Garg, Deepika Kapoor, Poonam Bansa , Pawan Kumar , Ranjan K. Mohapatra, Kuldeep Dhama , Amit Vashishth, Prachi Seth (2022) In silico targeting of osmoporin protein of Salmonella to identify antiSalmonellosis phyto-compounds. Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences, 10(2) 423-429 https://doi.org/10.18006/2022.10(2).423.429 (Scopus Indexed)
- Hardeep Singh Tuli, Zahoor Abbas, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatia, Shweta, Shanoo Sharma, Kuldeep Dhama, Khan Sharun, Manoj Kumar and Pawan Kumar (2022). In silico evaluation of selected flavonoids as neuraminidase inhibitors: hope for the discovery of anti-avian influenza virus compounds. Indian Veterinary Journal, 98 (5), 18-23 (Scopus Indexed)
- Pawan Kumar, Poonam Bansal, Vivek Kumar Garg, Sonali Sangwan, Kuldeep Dhama, Hardeep Singh Tuli (2023) In silico targeting enterotoxin from Staphylococcus aureus with selected flavonoids: Hope for the discovery of natural anti-mastitis agents. Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences.11 (1),132-139 https://doi.org/10.18006/2023.11(1).132.139 (Scopus Indexed)
Contact Information
Email: pawankumar1@shooliniuniversity.com
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4539-9241
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=ijwNEpgAAAAJ&hl=en